It was the 3rd day of battle at Gettysburg, the temperture the first two days of battle was recorded 3 times , at 7 a.m., 2 p.m., and 9 p.m. . July the 1st at 2:00 it was 76 degrees and the sky was cloudy, 2:00 p.m. July the 2nd it was 81 degrees and partly cloudy, and today July 3rd at 2:00 p.m. it is 87 degrees which was the time of Pickett's Charge. The temperature and men in wool uniforms! The sounds of the battle have stopped, I am now waiting, waiting for the cannons and musket fire to restart. It is quite, or is it my ears deaf from the loud noise ? I am standing here and I think I am in shock ! Pickett's Charge of Gettysburg, I can't get it out of my head and I think I never will, I honestly want to cry but I know being union my fellow soldiers would ask why. This day of hell I will always remember.....to see the young faces, just boy's.
They are saying General Lee has retreated, there is so much confusion, dead everywhere, laying everywhere, even hanging on fences. Horses dead everywhere, oh my God what has Lincoln done? I over heard General Winfield Scott describe his opinion after Pickett's Charge, he didn't know I was nearby. He said their lines were formed with precision and steadiness that extorted the admiration of the withness of that memorable scene, the attacking force had to exceeded 15,000 men. Marching a long distance only one could imagine what these Confederates were thinking, as they moved forward across that field, that long field. Many of them would die some wounded by the end of the day. The Rebel's Yell's were so eerie, as men dropped and then their colors retrieved, to the wall they came charging with no fear, then they were gone.....
The union soldiers were treated for their wounds, the Confederate Soldiers ignored. Their moans and cries ignored, even stepped over by other union soldiers and doctors. We marched to Seminary Ridge, dead men and horses, everywhere there was confusion. At Little Round Top, Confederate bodies were piled into a valley and partially covered with rocks and brush. Trenches were dug 10" deep and when they were buried bodies parts such as feet and heads stuck out. After awhile the bodies became exposed to the elements and animals, they were still ignored. They were buried in trenches in some places, containing 150 or more decomposing bodies, often hurled into their final resting place, a few bodies exploding, I want to run away from this gruesome site. Some could not be identified due to the heat and laying there so long. When Lincoln gave his address there were still open graves and Confederate dead laying in ditches and the sides of the roads, some still hanging to fences with blacken faces. Did he realize he had caused the death of so many and for what? There is no sane reason for me.
I heard them saying Pennsylvania's Governor Andrew Curtin is commissioning a attorney, David Wills to buy land for the proper burial of the union dead. I heard the Confederates want be allowed to be buried there, at Gettysburg National Cemetery. I don't know the exact number of Confederate Soldiers killed in this useless battle, but I do know I will never forget what I saw or the sounds, the smells. They were men like us fighting like us, and the way their bodies were treated was inhuman, repulsive, and sad, I would only hope if I am killed that my body not be treated like these have.
I do remember one thing, that has stuck in my brain, after the battle was over it rained and rained hard, the creeks swelled, I truly believe the sky cried, mourning those brave Confederates and their treatment..........now I can only pray.
Freda Mincey copyright 2014
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